titanic

adjective

ti·​tan·​ic tī-ˈta-nik How to pronounce titanic (audio)
 also  tə-
: having great magnitude, force, or power : colossal
a titanic struggle
titanically
tī-ˈta-ni-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce titanic (audio)
 also  tə-
adverb

Did you know?

Before becoming the name of the most famous ship in history, titanic referred to the Titans, a family of giants in Greek mythology who were believed to have once ruled the earth. They were subsequently overpowered and replaced by the younger Olympian gods under the leadership of Zeus. The size and power of the Titans is memorialized in the adjective titanic and in the noun titanium, a chemical element of exceptional strength that is used in the production of steel.

Examples of titanic in a Sentence

They put up a titanic struggle. The batter hit a titanic home run.
Recent Examples on the Web The elimination of these precious carbon sinks released titanic amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, unleashing an environmental catastrophe. Patricia Cohen Jes Aznar, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 In a way, devoting such a titanic structure to the display of delightful gizmos fulfilled this vision. Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024 Seth Brown enjoyed a big day at the plate for the A’s, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs, including a pair on a titanic first-inning blast to right field off Rangers starter Dane Dunning. Jon Becker, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 Last year, Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse was a titanic, historic failure. Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2024 The titanic battles that are taking place in Congress could have life and death consequences for millions of people both in the United States and abroad. Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 And from its titanic, tympanic entrance onward, the mounting and ultimately triumphant energy of the final movement had audience members bouncing their legs and bobbing their heads. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2024 Lim’s titanic technical command is unsurprising; his unflagging communicative passion is less common; and his instinctive understanding of Liszt’s hyper-Romantic language, his native grasp of phrase and texture and tempo, is something entirely out of the ordinary. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2023 Yes, but there clearly is a titanic shift in voter support for Israel that has been occurring for years and burst to the surface during the Israeli-Hamas bloodshed. George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'titanic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Greek titanikos of the Titans

First Known Use

1709, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of titanic was in 1709

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Dictionary Entries Near titanic

Cite this Entry

“Titanic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titanic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

titanic

adjective
ti·​tan·​ic tī-ˈtan-ik How to pronounce titanic (audio)
: enormous in size, force, or power

More from Merriam-Webster on titanic

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